Fix You
by masruiiiik
Summary: He saw the betrothal necklace, resting delicately above her collarbone, and knew he lost her for good.


**Fix You**

-0-

He stares forlornly into his cup of tea, the image of him was distorted and practically unrecognizable, but that's the furthest thing from his mind. The small little restaurant is quiet and quaint, with pale rose colored walls and comfortable, rickety wooden chairs. It's exactly the kind of place he would have expected from her to choose as their place to meet up.

The bell on the door chimes, signalling someone's entrance. He sees her before she sees him. She looks as beautiful as she had the last time he'd seen her, all those years ago. Her beautiful brown hair is flowing and her cerulean eyes are sparkling. Her robes are swishing around her legs as she bounds into the room. There's an extra spring to her step; a way that she carries herself that makes it certain to him that she's truly happy.

He also knows that he's not the cause for her bliss.

Her eyes brief over the few people that were actually in the restaurant, before landing on him. The moment she sees him, tucked in the back of the room, she beams and quickens her pace until she reaches him. "It's so nice to see you again," Katara says in that beautiful voice of hers as she slides into the seat across from him.

He only nods. He can only nod. His throat feels constricted despite the several cups of tea he had before her arrival. And besides, he doesn't trust himself to speak. He knows, that the moment he opens his mouth, the only words that would be spilling from them was to tell her how beautiful and brave and wonderful and kind she is.

He knows he's still in love with her.

The waitress, a friendly-looking, middle-aged woman, comes and takes their order. Once she's gone, Katara looks up and beams over at him again. He couldn't help but let his eyes linger to the slope of her neck, where an intricately carved betrothal necklace rests lightly, right above her collarbone. She smiles again, her blue eyes dancing, and he knows she's thinking about her fiancé.

He wishes it was him.

But then again, he also doesn't. No matter how hard he tried, he knows that it's not him that she really loves. He knows he would never be able to make her feel as her soon-to-be husband does. And it kills him. But he loves her enough to let her go, because Katara will be marrying a good man, a better man than he could ever dream to be, and besides, Katara's fiancé is a good friend of his as well. She will be happy, truly happy, and that's all he could ever ask for.

Their meals arrive, and he continues to sip his tea in silence as he listened to Katara ramble on and on about the wedding preparations. She's beaming again, and he knows that she's not trying to gloat, to brag about her picture-perfect relationship into his face, but with every word spilling from her lips; it feels as if the knife in his heart just twisted around a little more.

But he bites his lips, trying hard not to let the words he so desperately wants to say to spill forward. He's just glad that she still talks to him at all, these are the kinds of things that she could talk about with Toph (albeit one-sidedly) or even Sokka, if he's feeling gracious that day, and he's glad that she still considers him a friend.

Finally, when she's finished rambling on about how beautiful Toph will look in her bridesmaid's dress, she pulls out a scroll from the depths of her blue robes. He accepts the scroll with slightly trembling hands and erratic breathing.

"I'd like for you to be there," she says in a soft voice, just as the bell chimes, signalling someone's entrance, "you're one of my best friends, and it wouldn't be the same without you. Aang would like for you to be there too."

Looking over her shoulder, he sees Aang making his way towards their table, a big smile gracing his features, only rivalled by Katara's. Aang makes it towards their table and reaches out to give him a one-handed hug. He accepts without complaints. Aang helps Katara to her feet, and just as she stands, she says, "Take care of yourself. We really hope to see you at the wedding."

He watches them leave, her hand tucked securely in his and he says something that makes her laugh. Her head is thrown back and Aang reached out to tuck a wild strand behind her ears. They don't look back. He glances at the scroll that Katara has left. He reaches for it and tucks it into his robe without reading it. He knows what's written on it anyways.

Zuko stared forlornly into his cup of tea, the image of him was distorted and practically unrecognizable, but that's the furthest thing from his mind.

-0-

_When you lose something you can't replace  
When you love someone but it goes to waste  
Can it be worth it?  
Lights will guide you home  
and I will try  
To fix you…_

Fix You – Coldplay

-0-

**A/N: I know that I probably jumped back and forth from past tense and present tense a bit too frequently, it's the first time I've ever written in present tense before, so I hope you'll excuse me this time. Leave a review please!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender… or the song 'Fix You'. But it's a wonderful song and you should go listen it!

Hershey kisses!

~Harmony

P.S. Did I mention? This is my first Avatar fic, ever! 


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